Synlett 2004(9): 1595-1597  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-829090
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Acid-Promoted Reaction of Sulfonyl Chlorides with Alkenes: New Approach to the Regioselective Synthesis of β-Hydroxyl Sulfone Derivatives

Chanjuan Xi*, Chunbo Lai, Chao Chen, Ruji Wang
Key Laboratory for Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Fax: +86(10)62618239; e-Mail: cjxi@tsinghua.edu.cn;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 24 March 2004
Publication Date:
29 June 2004 (online)

Abstract

Reaction of sulfonyl chlorides with alkenes and water in the presence of catalytic amount of sulfonic acid provided β-hydroxyl sulfone derivatives in high yields.

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Crystallographic data of 1b: colorless plate, orthorhombic, Space group Pbca (No. 61), a = 10.199 (3), b = 16.367 (6), c = 17.701 (5) Å, α = 90.00°, β = 90.00°, γ = 90.00°, Z = 8, R 1 = 0.1563, wR 2 = 0.1519 (all data), GOF = 1.053.

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Representative Procedure for the Hydroxyl Sulfonylation of Alkenes. Preparation of 1-Phenyl-2-( p -toluenesulfonyl)ethanol ( 1a).
p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride (286 mg, 1.5 mmol) and toluene-4-sulfonic acid (35 mg, 0.20 mmol) were dissolved in 5 mL THF. To the solution was added styrene (116 µL, 1.0 mmol) and H2O (22 µL, 1.2 mmol) at r.t. The mixture was warmed up to 50 °C and stirred for 36 h. Then it was quenched with H2O and the aqueous layers were extracted with Et2O (20 mL) for 3 times, and the combined organic layers were dried over Na2SO4. The ether extract was evaporated and the crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (EtOAc/petroleum ether = 1:4) to afford compound 1a [7] (207 mg) as white powder in 75%. 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 2.46 (s, 3 H), 3.32 (d, J = 14.5 Hz, 1 H), 3.47 (dd, J = 10.0, 14.5 Hz, 1 H), 3.76 (br s, 1 H), 5.25 (d, J = 10.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.26-7.31 (m, 5 H), 7.38 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 2 H), 7.84 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 2 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 21.7, 64.0, 68.5, 125.7, 128.0, 128.3, 128.8, 130.1, 136.2, 140.7, 145.3. ESI-MS: 283.1 [M + Li+], 299.1 [M + Na+].

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1- p -Chlorophenyl-2-( p -toluenesulfonyl)ethanol ( 1b): [2c] white powder (224 mg, 72%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 2.46 (s, 3 H), 3.28 (d, J = 14.5 Hz, 1 H), 3.43 (dd, J = 10.0, 14.5 Hz, 1 H), 3.88 (br s, 1 H), 5.23 (d, J = 9.5 Hz, 1 H), 7.21-7.28 (m, 4 H), 7.37 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 2 H,), 7.37 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 21.7, 63.8, 67.9, 27.1, 128.0, 128.9, 130.1, 134.0, 136.1, 139.3, 145.4. ESI-MS: 333.1, 335.1 [M + Na+].

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1-Tolyl-2-( p -toluenesulfonyl)ethanol ( 1c): [2c] white powder (206 mg, 70%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 2.30 (s, 3 H), 2.46 (s, 3 H), 3.29 (dd, J = 1.8, 14.3 Hz, 1 H,), 3.47 (dd, J 1 = 10.1 Hz, J 2 = 14.3 Hz, 1 H), 3.69 (br s, 1 H), 5.20 (d, J = 9.84 Hz, 1 H), 7.12-7.18 (m, 4 H), 7.37 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2 H), 7.82 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 21.2, 21.8, 64.1, 68.4, 125.7, 128.1, 129.5, 130.2, 136.3, 137.9, 138.2. 145.3. ESI-MS: 297.1 [M + Li+], 313.1 [M + Na+].

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2-Phenyl-1-( p -toluenesulfonyl)-propan-2-ol ( 1d): [8] white powder (238 mg, 82%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 1.69 (s, 3 H), 2.37 (s, 3 H), 3.65 (AB, q, J = 14.8 Hz, 2 H), 4.64 (br s, 1 H), 7.14-7.28 (m, 5 H), 7.47 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2 H), 7.27 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 21.7, 30.9, 66.8, 73.3, 124.7, 127.2, 127.6, 128.3, 129.8, 137.4, 144.6. ESI-MS: 297.0 [M + Li+], 313.0 [M + Na+].

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2-Methanesulfonyl-1-phenyl-ethanol ( 1e): [2a] white powder (104 mg, 51%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 3.03 (s, 3 H), 3.14 (d, J = 14.8 Hz, 1 H,), 3.44 (dd, J = 10.0, 14.8 Hz, 1 H), 3.21 (br s, 1 H), 5.32 (d, J = 10.3 Hz, 1 H), 7.34-7.38 (m, 5 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 43.0, 62.5, 69.4, 125.8, 128.7, 129.1, 141.2. ESI-MS: 206.9 [M + Li+], 222.9 [M + Na+].

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1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-methanesulfonylethanol ( 1f): white powder (101 mg, 43%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 3.05 (s, 3 H), 3.12 (d, J = 14.8 Hz, 1 H,), 3.41 (dd, J = 10.3, 14.8 Hz, 1 H), 3.26 (br s, 1 H), 5.32 (d, J = 10.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.30-7.35 (m, 4 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 43.0, 62.3, 68.7, 127.2, 129.3, 134.5, 139.6. ESI-MS: 238.9, 240.9 [M + Na+]. HRMS: anal. calcd for C9H11ClO3S: 234.0117, 236.0088; found: 234.0111, 236.0046.

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1-Tolyl-2-(methanesulfonyl)ethanol ( 1g): white powder (130 mg, 61%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 2.34 (s, 3 H), 3.02 (s, 3 H), 3.08-3.13 (m, 2 H), 3.43 (dd, J = 10.1, 14.9 Hz, 1 H), 5.26 (d, J = 10.3 Hz, 1 H), 7.18 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2 H), 7.25 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 2 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 21.2, 42.9, 62.5, 69.2, 125.7, 129.7, 138.3, 138.6. ESI-MS: 221.0 [M + Li+]. HRMS: anal. calcd for C10H14O3S: 214.0664; found: 214.0665.

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1-Methanesulfonyl-2-phenyl-propan-2ol ( 1h): [9] oily liquid (152 mg, 71%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 1.73 (s, 3 H), 2.42 (s, 3 H), 3.52 (AB q, J = 14.8 Hz, 2 H), 4.36 (br s, 1 H), 7.42-7.49 (m, 5 H). 13C NMR (CDCl3, SiMe4): δ = 30.7, 43.2, 65.7, 72.6, 124.9, 127.9, 128.9, 144.65. ESI-MS: 220.9 [M + Li+].